Selling a non-runner or long-stood motorhome
A motorhome that won't start, has no MOT or hasn't moved for years is harder to sell privately — most buyers want to drive one away. It is not, however, unsellable, and it doesn't need repairing before you enquire.
Why privately selling one is hard
A private buyer usually can't insure, tax or legally drive a van without a valid MOT, and few want to arrange recovery for a vehicle they've only seen standing still. That is exactly why a buying service is often the simpler route: we assess it where it is and arrange collection.
What "non-runner" usually turns out to be
- Flat or dead vehicle and leisure batteries after a long period unused.
- Aged diesel, a clogged filter, or a fuel system that needs bleeding.
- Seized brakes or a stuck handbrake from standing in one place.
- Perished or flat-spotted tyres, legal on tread but unfit on age.
- Corroded connections and electrical gremlins.
- MOT expired years ago, with no idea what it would fail on.
Some of that is minor and some isn't. You don't need to diagnose it — describe what happens when you try to start it and we'll take it from there.
Don't spend money to sell it
Putting a van through an MOT to find out what's wrong, or paying for repairs before a sale, frequently costs more than it adds. Talk to us first with the van as it stands. If work genuinely would be worth doing, we'll say so rather than let you spend blindly.
What we can and can't consider
We look at long-stood vans, expired MOTs, mechanical faults, damp, storm and accident damage, and vans that need recovery rather than driving. We don't buy campervans, day vans, commercial vans, statics or cars, and there are cases — severe structural damage, or a vehicle with no evidence of ownership — where we may not be able to help. A short conversation establishes which side of the line a van sits on.
If your motorhome has been recorded as an insurance write-off, tell us the category when you first get in touch — it changes how a van is valued but doesn't automatically rule it out. We'll also tell you up front how recovery is arranged for a van that can't be driven, so there are no surprise costs later.
What to tell us
- How long it's been stood, and where.
- What happens when you turn the key.
- MOT expiry, and the last known advisories or failures.
- Any known mechanical faults, warning lights or leaks.
- Whether the habitation area is dry, damp, or unknown.
- Access: whether a transporter can reach it, and any gates, kerbs or soft ground.
Access and collection
Motorhomes are long and heavy, so access matters. Tell us about tight lanes, low branches, locked storage yards or restricted opening hours, and photographs of the approach are genuinely useful. Collection is arranged with you rather than left as your problem.
Start with the valuation form — the photo step is the quickest way to show us the real condition. If damp is part of the picture, the habitation and damp guide covers what to look for.
Non-runner or long-stood? Tell us where it is
Tell us about your vehicle and our buying team will come back to you about a possible offer. It's free and there's no obligation to sell.